a corrects the inference which an indolent nature or weak judgment might draw from 1 Corinthians 12:29 f., supposing that God's sovereign ordination supersedes man's effort. Our striving has a part to play, along with God's bestowment, in spiritual acquisitions; hence the contrastive δέ. “But (for all that) be zealous after the greater gifts.” A man must not, e.g., be content to “speak with tongues” when he might “prophesy” (1 Corinthians 14:1 ff.), nor to work miracles when beside that he might teach in the “word of wisdom”. ζηλόω (see parls.) implies in its good sense an ardent, in its bad sense (1 Corinthians 13:4) an emulous pursuit. The greater (μείζονα) gifts are those intrinsically greater, or more beneficial (1 Corinthians 14:5) conditions usually coincident.

1 Corinthians 12:31 b. Καὶ ἔτι κ. τ. λ. (cf. ἔτι τε καί, Luke 14:26) “And besides” adds to the exhortation just given (1 Corinthians 12:31 a) an indication of the way to carry it out; the ζῆλος which aims at the μείζονα χαρίσματα must be that of ἀγάπη. This clause introduces and properly belongs to ch. 13. (W.H [1957]). καθʼ ὑπερβολήν (see parls.) is superlative, not compar.; P. is not pointing out “a more excellent way” than that of seeking and using the charisms of ch. 12. (with such a meaning he should have written Ἔτι δέ : cf. Luke 24:41, etc.), but “a super-excellent way” (une voie souverainement excellente, Gd [1958]) to win them (cf. 1 Corinthians 8:1 b, 1 John 4:7). Δείκνυμι is “to point out” as with the finger.

[1957] Westcott and Hort's The New Testament in Greek: Critical Text and Notes.

[1958] F. Godet's Commentaire sur la prem. Ép. aux Corinthiens (Eng. Trans.).

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Old Testament